Transferred! Neoa in Weno

Well, transfer calls were last night and i got moved again! Big surprise right? Seems like this is every transfer. Not sure why it's always me getting moved around when some have been in one area there whole mission and been out about a year. hah. I'm just mainly sad I am leaving Tonoas. I miss it like crazy already and i just boated in hah. I didn't want to leave at all. I'm crushed to leave that group in Enin and Elder Harmon and all those investigators we had ready to be baptized soon. 

I've now been moved to a new place called Neoa in Weno. (Inner isalnd again so, Mom, you can cheer for joy now that I get to email you every week again! Hah That seems like the only thing thats going for me right now. I wish I was still back in Tonoas ahh. This transfer is a 5 week transfer and then Pres Z leaves and then the new mission president comes in. I am super curious and excited to see what happens! and see how things change, or if they even do. 

I don't have much time. i have got to drive back to my new house in a few minutes, but just got on the computer to let y'all now that I've been transferred now

How's everything at home? Dad thanks for your email! I took a picture of it  and will read it tonight. I skimmed over it tho and btw my camera is a Nikon Coolpix AW130. That'd be WAY cool to get videos! Do you have my last sd card still? The first one I sent home? I would love to get that back, too, so I can see all of them again bc I don't have it copied! 

Mom,  sorry one last request. So I ripped my last pair of pants. All the black pairs have ripped so now I only have a grey pair (where i sweat like crazy.) Elder Burkart is letting me wear one of his pairs until i can get more. I've sewed them all up lots but they keep ripping!!! Anyway you could send some more pairs? I was trying to make it a year but it seems like that's not happening. Maybe more of the same pants like before? The nike golf super breathable kind, but if not i understand. Just 32x30 :) 

Thanks for everything and all you do for me! Hopefully, I can get into a new groove in my new area quickly. Oh, my comp is named Elder Z. He's been out just one transfer less than me.  

Love you and miss you all!!!

Mom! Happy Mother's Day! 5/14/17

Momma!
Happy Mother's Day!!

I just wanted to wish the best mom in this universe a Happy Mother's Day.  It's the least that I could do for someone who has done literally everything for me....someone who has given up everything in her life for me, to raise me, to make me happy, to help me be where I am today.  Someone who has been there for me every step of the way, even when I haven't always been the most obedient child.  All the hard trials I have faced in my life and things I have had to go through, you have always been there for me every single second I have needed help.  Seriously, Mom, I don't know if I know anyone else that can say that they have a mom like that.  I sometimes wonder how I got so lucky to have you as my momma! You have always been that perfect example and role model for me.  I am sorry for all the times I have talked back or fought with you when I was younger because I realize now that everything you ever did or said was only you trying your best to help me even if I maybe disagreed at that time.  You have always been so giving to me and all my siblings, always making sacrifices for us so that we can be happy and do what is right.

One of our main goals and our purpose of life on this earth is to become more like our Savior, Jesus Christ. That's something I hope and really work at  and that I hope my mission will help me become.  As I study the different attributes from PMG I try and think in what ways I could change to develop these attributes.  Mom, so many times you quickly have come to my mind of things you have done and who you have become to set that example for me to help me become like HIm.  Your love and charity and hope and everything has taught me so much about how to be like Him.  Having a mom so Christ-like has really been such a blessing and has helped me so much become who I am even though I am still so far from becoming like our Savior.  Thank you, Mom, for everything you have given me out here.  It has meant more to me than you could ever understand.  I miss you like cray and can't wait to be with you again, but I love my mission and this time of my life to serve Him and the people of Chuuk!  I love you!

Love,
Elder Saylin

Best Mother's Day gift in the world! May 14, 2017

We talked to Scott in the morning so we videoed a message from Scott to Keith.  This is Keith's message back to Scott.

April 30 Finally an email! HELLLOOOOOO!!

HEELLLOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Holy smokes, it really does seem likes its been 10 years since I've got to talk to y'all! Ahhh !! Serving in Chuuk is something else. Getting one hour to email once a month and trying to reply to everything and read things is so hard so don't be to mad if I skipped over questions. I take pictures of most of the emails so I can read them all still and get the others in the mail,  but its killing me! I wish soo badly I could have an ipad like Scott and just get all day to email y'all and read them everyday. It's a whole different world for me thats for sure. 

So i don't even know where to start. I just opened all of y'alls emails and read some stuff here and there, but like I said I don't have all the time in the world. I feel like the worst because my emails are always so lame and short and not as detailed as i know that y'all want them to be. Just know I don't really want it to be like it this way either. But its okay because God knows that not just I can handle this life, but you guys can, too! 

So happy late Easter! I got one box from you! It was the one with my garments.  Thank you so much --that was much needed!! Mom, you said you sent more boxes?! YAYAYA Thank you so much:) I'm excited!  Y'all are the best. Thanks also for all the letters and music and pictures you sent.  I love it. Momma i'm sorry that the letters haven't been gettin gto you fast!  I promise they are all coming. I write every week! Dad, you asked about Chuuk. We have 13 areas in Chuuk. I think I am going to stay in Tonoas for a very long time. One district only. We had district conference this last weekend and it was AMAZING!! Seriously, soo good. Last year at this time they had 478 people attend. Want to know how many we had on Sunday attend??? 1024!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So freaking sick! Chuuk is growing like crazy and we are seeing so many blessings here. I love it. It was so good to see all the people I have taught and grown to love. They are all family to me. I saw all my family from TOL again! and Udot and Sapuk. Honestly, amazing to see them and I got emotional seeing them there knowing they are all so strong and growing in the gospel. You won't believe what happened. Don, my recent convert from Tol, SPOKE IN CONFERENCE!  In front of everyone!! It was so awesome. He did such a good job. Crazy to think that a few months ago he was an alcoholic and smoked weed everyday, and caused problems to a whole bunch of people.  He once was a violent  man and he stood there and bore a powerful testimony how this has changed his life.  He said that the Book of Mormon is what converted him and how he and his wife have found true happiness. Best thing ever! I wanted to cry. The church is so true!!!!!!

So the group hasn't been approved yet but we just got permission to do sacrament in Enin for the first time this week! So we're pretty excited about that so people will come to church. 

Things have been pretty good here. Super hot. Tons of rain. I'm getting skinny as can be,  haha but I'm loving it, and lovign the work.

I cannot wait for Mother's Day! So excited to be able to tlak to y'all!!!! What's the plan for that? I will be calling soon about that to set up time. When's Scott calling?

Miss you guys like crazy! Thanks for all the support and love and everything you do for me! Couldn't ask for a better family:)

I love you!

Elder Saylin

-- 

Elder Saylin

APRIL 24, 2017 SNAIL MAIL NEPWONG ABY MEINISIN!

This last week has been nuts.  Lots of ups and downs, but it ended up pretty good.  Si i will start with the downs.  I don't know what it is with Chuukese people, but every time it rains everybody drinks a ton and nobody does work or anything.  All the women just stay inside and eat and then all fo the teenage boys and men get drunk, walking around causing all sorts of problems to everyone.  Well, this while week it has just poured pretty much non stop except for one day.  Sot his while week consisted with walking everywhere all day soaking wet in the rain dealing with a bunch of drink people and having no lessons basically!  How awesome is that?

When we don't have work, the tim seems to go soooo slowly!  Another thing that was hard is that our main investigator named Erephin (who is so awesome) has been gone all week on an outer, outer island called Uut for his cousin's funeral.  A lot of other people we teach from that village went also because they are all family.  Erephin would have been drunk if he were here.  He is such a good man.  He is about 28ish and such a good husband.  You rarely find that here in Chuuk.  I am trying to convince Enephin to let me adopt his 3 year old little girl.  haha  She is the cutest thing ever!  So don't be upset if I come home with a kid.  Haha  Her name is Eri-Jane.  I'll have to send a picture.  So the day that it didn't rain this week, there was a big wedding.  weddings mean food so everyone on the island goes.  We went too!  Weddings here are crazy.  They just blast Chuukese music or Honun Namanam and everyone dances like crazy.  It's hilarious.  haha  No body really knows how to dance so people just throw their bodies in every direction as fast as they can.  It's better than I could ever do. Super funny to watch.  There was so much food that they gave us.  It is SO not good.  This food is killing me!  Man, I miss McDonalds!  As always, the food made us sick and now we are making countless trips to the bathroom  :)!  The wedding was still way fun!  Some people came from Hawaii for the wedding so they knew English.  It was sooo weird to speak English.  I am forgetting how!  I am messing up all of my words!  All of the missionaries are awful at English now.  It's not just me.  Chuukese is just so different.  It messes everything up.  LOL

Our other high this week is Sunday morning we went to the other side of the island to our area to try and invite people to walk with us to church.  No one was home, but we decided to hurry and go see if there was any chance Erephin came back from the other island.  We ran over to his house last second and he was home!  He had got home late the night before.  He was all showered up and ready to go!  So Erephin came to church and he really enjoyed it.  He payed attention the while time.  So that mad me so happy for him and it was the highlight of my week.  Hopefully this group in Enin starts up soon so more people will actually come to church.

Well, Mother's Day is coming soon so Mom expect a call from me so we can set up a time you want me to call you.  What's y'alls plan for Mother's Day?

Uwa men tongeikemi!  Ngang mi pwan ekieki usemi iteitan ran.  Sipway fos fengen.

Love you!
Elder Saylin

PS  Mom, any way you can send me a razor?  My electric one doesn't work in this humidity and I bought some cheap ones here but I'm all out now and they cut my face up.  Elder B said his mom got his from Costco and it comes with a bunch of blades  you can change so it will last.  Thank YOU!

APRIL 17, 2017 SNAIL MAIL LETTER "HAPPY LATE EASTER" LOVE, LOVE this letter......

HAPPY LATE EASTER!  How was y'alls Easter ?  What did the family do this year for Easter?  Did Grandma and Grandpa come up, too?  I can't wait to see the pictures!  Sam, you better have been the fastest and got the most candy so you can save me some.


So you asked a little bit about Tol.  My last update is that they mostly are still doing really well and having church!  My recent convert Don just also received the priesthood and just was called to be the Branch President!  It's wonderful that though the missionaries were emergency transferred from the island, the church is continuing to grow.  (He is the first man to receive the priesthood there!)   I am so excited for him and happy for those people.  So many of my prayers have been answered as God has continued to take care of those people and help them continue in their faith and happiness.

We didn't get to watch General Conference.  There is no way to and to get a recording or bring everyone in to the mainland to watch is pretty much impossible.  They will eventually send us the Ensign with the talks.  :)

It's so awesome that Scott is out doing this same work as me right now!  I still feel like I am just telling myselft that and that it's not actually true.  haha.  I think its becasue I wasn't there when he left.
I just got your March 19 letter.  I wish so badly I was there when he was set apart.   Especially for that testimony meeting.  Thank you, Dad, for speaking for me and trying to say things I would have said, Dad.  I was so happy when I read that.  I seriously would have killed to hear everyone's testimony, especially Scott and Seth's and seen how much they have grown.  What an amazing day it will be when we are all returned missionaries and finally all reunited together and get to hear everyone's testimonies.  I could never express my gratitude enough to God for this family He has given me and parents.  I could not ask for a better family.  From all of our highs and lows to everything else in between, I am so grateful for what our family has become and how strong all our love for each other is.  There really aren't a lot of families as blessed and lucky as we are.  Thanks Mom and Dad, for all of your hard work for this family  and all you do and helping all us kids get to where we are today.


So as y'all now, my island of Tonoas has been slit this last transfer.  Elder Harman and my area is on the whole other side of the island from the house and the church.  It takes us about 45 minutes to walk there.  I don't mind walking that at all everyday.  Te only thing that is bad about it is that pretty much no one wants to walk that far to church when they could go to the one in their  village right next to their homes.  One big problem we face here in Chuuk is that all the Chukkese people believe that every single church is true and it doesn't matter which one you go to because they all lead you back to God.  So this last Easter Sunday we went to go walk with all of our investigators to church.  Everyone shut us down because they all "had to go with their families to the Catholic church."  It's wonderful that they want to go as families.  Now we want these families to know how they can be together forever!  There is this massive Catholic church right in the middle of our area so everyone went to that.  They feed everyone during their meeting and afterwards, too.  They throw a big party and everyone wants to go because of the free food!  LOL  So that was a bummer.  Do you want food or eternal salvation?  haha  I guess food can be of the devil, too, so be careful!  haha J/K

This next Sunday will be good because people don't have to go with their whole family to another church so I am excited for this next week.  We are still trying to get a group started up in Enin.  We are still waiting for it to be approved by the Area Seventy.   It should open in a few weeks and we will have lots of investigators that will come to church because the church won't be so far away from them.

Elder B is training!  Now we have 4 Elders in our tiny house.  It's a party.  There is zero room to put all of our stuff so it's all over the place.  haha  It's awesome.  Elder B, Elder H and I all put hooks in the walls and hung our hammocks to sleep in every nights.  It's actually way nice and you get a better breeze from the window so it's not as hot.  Elder C sleeps on his matt.  He is from the Philippines.  He is the nicest kid ever.  He's super shy but low key.  He is the funniest kid ever and says the funniest stuff.  I love him!  he knows 4 languages....about to be 5!  He is 23 and the only member of his family in the church.  He has little support.  I look up to him lots for his faith and strength to push through hard trials.  I don't know how he does it because i couldn't do this without the support of all of you.  It really has meant so much to me.

Can't wait for Mother's Day!!!  Talk to y'all soon.

Love,
Elder Saylin JUNIOR!!!

PS  MOM, CAN YOU PLEASE SEND ME SOME SUNBLOCK??  Thank you